Valve-action for musical instruments



(No Model.) '3 sneet -sheet/.

w. n. PARKER. VALVE ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. v a No. 355,336. Patented Jan. 4, 1887.

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I V ALVB ACTION FOBMUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. No. 355,336. Patented Jan 4,1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Orrics.

NVILLIAM D. PARKER, )F \VORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE-ACTlON FOR MUS ICAL lNSTRUiVli-INTS.

Application filed Dzccinbcr 3. 1885. Serial No. 184,587.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM D. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vorcester, in the county of Vorcester and State of lllassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve-Actions for Musical Instruments; and I declare the following to be a description of my said invention, sufiiciently full, clear, and exact to enable others skilled in the-art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide a simple and efficient valve and valveactuating mechanism for opening and closing ducts or passages to control the production, duration, or expression of sound in musical instruments by differential action and by the air-pressure induced for operating said sounding devices, said valve-action being adapted for use in connection either with forced blast or exhaust and with the pressure employed for working the sound-producing devices, and to be controlled by either automatic means or by manual keys,or by both in combined action.

My invention consists in mechanism organized and operatingas illustrated in the accompanying drawings,and explained in the following description, the particular subject-matter claimed being hereinafter definitely specified.

In the drawingsd igure l is a vertical section of so much of a musical reed instrument as will illustrate the nature of inyinvention, showing the action in position as with the valve closed. Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the action in position as with the valve open. Fig. 3is a view, part plan, part horizontal section, showing the valve-action and action-board. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the valve and its operating-rod. Fig. 5 is a side view of the central button or hub on the valve-actuating rod. Fig. 6 is a series of vertical sections, takentransversely to the valve-operating rods at the several positions indicated by lines S, S", S", S, and S on Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a trans verse vertical section illustrating my invention as applied to a compound organ, to be operated by both manual keys and an automatic device or perforated music-sheet, and Fig. 8 shows a modification of the differential valveaction as adapted for instruments operated by EIPIECIFICSTEON forming par; of Letters Patent No. 355,336, dated January 4:, 1887.

(No model.)

forced blast instead of exhaustnir pressure. Fig. 9 is a vertical section showing a H10dlfication in the arrangement of the valve-actuthe sounding device and the wind-chest, having passages leading thereinto for the flow of air. \Vithin said chamber, and for closing the passage into or from the same, I employ afiexible strip or valve, one end of which is fixedto the action-board, near the end of the passage or opening, along which said flexible valve is laid, while the opposite end of said valve is connected to a reciprocating rod by which said valveis stripped from orlaid upon its seat. Said rod, which preferably extends to the front and rear of the valve-chamber, has fixed on its re spective ends small pistons of different sizes, which work in tubes or piston-ways that communicate from the interior to the exterior of the wind-chambers, as more fully hereinafter explained. With one series of said tubes or piston-ways is connected a tracker for the use of a sheet of perforated music-paper, or a series of valves for manual operation. The arrangement and connection of the passages is such. that with differential size of the pistons and tubes automatic opening and closing of the valves is effected by the air-pressure induced by the blowing apparatus in accordance with the notes indicated by the music'sheet or by the manual, either of which can be used separatel y, as preferred; or both may be combined ential valvcaction in connection with any kind of sounding devices, for the purpose of controlling the production, duration, or expression of musical sounds and tones,whether induced by blast or exhaust action.

In referring to parts, A denotes the main wind-chest or air-chamber, which communicates with bellows mechanism (not shown) of any suitable construction for inducing a cur as applied 0 within the scope of my invention this differ- Lin piston-ways m. The sheet-moving mechanism is not herein shown, as it is not essentially a part of my present invention.

In Fig. 7 is illustrated a system for the adaptation of myinvention to compound instruments, to be operated by manual keys or by automatic traveling musicsheets. In this K indicates the manual keys, P I the pitmen, Q a transmitting-lever, K the puppet or valve for admitting air to the piston-way m, and S a spring for closing the valve K and raising the key K. In this class of instruments the perforated sheet working over the tracker L may be arranged for playing an accompaniment to a tune played by the manual, or vice versa. In this view, Fig. 7, is also indicated a construction whereby astriking device for sound ing bells or other concussion-vibrators may be combined with the valve-action. In this the rod F is extended beyond the piston fand provided with a head or buntcr, c, that impinges against the spring-lever V, which latter carries a hammer, V for vibrating the bell T. Strings, plates, bars, or any other suitable sounding device may be employed in place of the bell T, to be vibrated by the concussive action of the valve-operating rod F, and in combination with the wind-actuated sound-pro ducing devices.

Fig. 8 shows the adaptation of my invcntion to an instrument or pipe-organ operated by forced blast or blowing bellows instead of of an exhaust or suction bellows. In this the position of the valve D is reversed, the rodF being thrown in direction toward the smaller piston 1" when the valve is closed. When the puppet K is opened, the pressure on piston d is greater than that on piston f, and the valve is stripped from its seat to open the passage and allow the air to sound the pipe I).

Fig. 9 shows amodification of my improved valve as it may be employed in some instances, when desired. In this the actuatingrod reaches into the supplemental chamber and connects with the end of the flexible strip that forms the valve, and the devices for moving the rod are located at any convenient position, and to effect reciprocative action of the rod, as de sired. I

In the operation of this form of my apparatus, the air being exhausted in the windchest, when the puppet K is opened the piston d is forced upward, carrying up the rod F, and thereby stripping the valve from its seat. Then'when the puppet K is closed, the pressure above and below the piston 01 being equalized, the rod falls by gravity of the parts, assisted by the air-pressure tending to close valve D, and by the downward pressure of the external air on the rod as a piston the air beneath the piston d escapes past the edge thereof as the piston descends, said piston in practice being made with a loose fit; or, if desired, a small vent or channel may be led into the airspace below the piston from the windchest, or a small hole formed through the piston. This arrangement may be employed for vertically disposed valves, and with sets of reeds or sounding devices placed at a distance from the main action-as, for instance, a subbass.

I am aware that pneumatic diaphragms have heretofore been employed for working valves of musical instruments by air-pressure, and also that puppet-valves have been used between the sounding devices and wind-chest. All such, however, are of different nature and operation from my differential piston-action and flexible valve, and are not the subject of my claims.

\Vhat I claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with an organ reed or pipe, the valve D, consisting of a strip of soft pliable material having one end secured upon the valve-seat, and a carrier-rod disposed at a short distance away from the valve, carrying the opposite end thereof back and forth in a direction longitudinally of the valveopening, substantially as described, for stripping said valve from the seat and relaying it thereon in the manner set forth.

2. The combination, with the sounding device and windchest in a musical instrument, of a supplemental chamber, as c, located between said sounding device and wind-chest, with air-passages communicating therewith,

and a flexible valve, as D, consisting of a strip of soft leather or similar pliable material, ar-

ranged within said supplemental chamber, and

having one of its ends attached to the valveseat and its other end to a reciprocating rod end of said flexible valve is attached, and a piston or device controlled by air-pressure to actuate said rod for opening and closing said valve, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the flexible valve, the

reciprocating rod having differential pistons,

as d and f, the actionboard having tubes or piston-ways, as m and n, the sounding device I), and means, substantially as described, for admitting and stopping the air at the outer end of said piston-waym, substantially as and l for the purpose set forth.

5. The reciprocating rod F, having pistons, as d and f, of different size or area, fitted to work within tubular openings and actuated by air-pressure, substantially as described, in combination with a Valve for controlling the production, duration, or expression of sound in a musical instrument.

6. The combination of the reciprocating rod having pistons of different size or area fitted to Work in tubular openings and actuated by air-pressure, a fiexible strip valve, one end of which is connected to said rod and the other to the valve-seat and adapted for covering and uncovering the passage communicating with a sounding device, and a device for controlling the relative air-pressure on said pistons by admitting or excluding air to and from the tubular opening or pistonwvay, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with the sounding devices and wind-chest in an organ or similar musical instrument, of a system of flexiblestrip valves closing and opening the passages to the sounding devices, a system of differential pistons fitted within air-passages or piston-ways, and connected by rods for operating said valves in the manner described, a series of inlet-stops, and a series of manual keys c011- nected for operating said stops for controlling the action or air-pressure on said pistons, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

8. The combination of the sounding devices I), the action-board having the piston-Ways m and n, and chambers c and E, the wind-chest A, the flexible valve D, the reciprocating rod F, provided with differential pistons d and f, the tracker L, and music-sheet M, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, with the piston-rod F, valve D, and action-board O, of the button D and packing-disks J, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination, with the valve D, of the rod F, having the larger piston d and the smaller pistonf, respectively, fitting in tubular ways that communicate with the interior and exterior of the action, and means for opening and stopping one of said piston-ways, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Witness my hand this 18th day of Novem ber, A. D. 1885.

WILLIAM D. PARKER.

Vitnesses:

Gulls. H. BURLEIGH, FRANK STONE.

(Nd Model.)

v G. N. POST & G. B. DURKEE.

BANJO. No. 355,337. Pgtented Jan. 4, 1887'.

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